This Caramel Apple Pie takes everything you love about fall, tart apples, buttery crust, and rich caramel, and bakes it into one gooey, golden pie. The homemade caramel adds a deep flavor that turns a simple apple pie into something unforgettable.
A Gooey Twist on Classic Apple Pie
The filling tastes like everything you love about apple pie, only better. The caramel thickens as it bakes, coating the apples instead of sliding off them. You get that stretchy caramel pull when you slice it, but it doesn’t turn runny. And the smell? It’s ridiculous. This will be the showstopper pie at your next fall gathering.
This pie started as a happy accident. I was dipping apples in caramel one afternoon, and my daughter said, “You should make a pie out of that.” She wasn’t wrong. The first version was messy and over-the-top sweet, but once I found the right balance of tart apples and caramel, it became a keeper, just like my caramel banana pie.
If you’ve ever made buttery caramel sauce from scratch, you know it’s not as fussy as people think. A little sugar and corn syrup, a little cream, and you have something magical. You can make it days ahead, up to two weeks, actually, just try to keep from eating it all before you make the pie!
This pie is best served warm. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream if you want to go all in and drizzle a little extra caramel on top.
This pie is perfect for any fall gathering, Thanksgiving, weekend dinners, or just because you have apples sitting on the counter. It’s comfort food with a little flair.
Gather These Before You Bake
You only need a handful of things to pull together this caramel apple pie recipe, but here’s what really matters. The rest is in the recipe card below.
- Pie crust: A double crust gives you both a sturdy base and a pretty lattice top. Use your favorite homemade pie crust recipe if you have one, but store-bought will work just fine in a pinch.
- Granny Smith apples: Their tartness balances the caramel, so the pie isn’t too sweet. If Granny Smiths aren’t around, Honeycrisp or Braeburn make good substitutes.
- Caramel sauce: This is what makes the pie special. Homemade caramel sauce has the best flavor, but if you’re short on time, a good-quality store-bought caramel can step in.
Your Guide to a Golden, Gooey Caramel Apple Pie
Step One: Make the Caramel
Cook the sugar mixture until amber, then stir in cream, vanilla, and salt. Let it cool completely before using. You can get more details on making the best caramel sauce with process shots if needed.
Tip: You’ll only need part of it for the pie, but leftovers keep well in the fridge or freezer.
Step Two: Prep the Apples
Tip: Cut apples evenly so they cook at the same rate.
Step Three: Assemble the Bottom Crust
Step Four: Make the Lattice Top
Tip: A chilled crust bakes flakier and browns more evenly.
Step Five: Bake Until Golden
Bring this caramel apple pie to your next holiday dinner, bake sale, or a fall get-together when you need a dessert that looks impressive but still feels comforting and homemade.
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Ingredients
- 1 Double crust pie crust
- ¼ cup Demara sugar
- 1 egg
Caramel
- 1 ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup light corn syrup
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Filling
- 4-5 Granny Smith Apples peeled, cored and sliced, about 6 cups
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 tablespoons flour
Instructions
Caramel
- In a saucepan, add sugar, water and corn syrup and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until it turns a slightly yellow straw color, about 8 minutes, then reduce the heat to medium low and continue to cook until it turns an amber color, about 5 minutes. A thermometer should read 240º to 245º.
- Remove from the heat and stir in cream, vanilla and salt, it will sizzle. Stir until it is smooth. Pour into a glass bowl and let it cool completely. Refrigerate until ready to use, up to two weeks. If it is too thick to pour, microwave at 10 second intervals. This will make 2 cups of caramel and you need ½ cup for the recipe.
Filling
- Add peeled and sliced apples to a bowl and add sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla. Mix until the apples are coated and set aside.
- Roll out one of the pie doughs until it is about an inch larger than the rim of the pie dish. Place the piecrust in the pie dish and trim off any excess.
- Add the apple slices and pour ½ cup of cooled caramel over the top of the apples. You will have more caramel than you need.
- Roll out the second pie dough into a rectangle and cut eight 1 ½ inch strips. Place the first two in a cross through the middle of the pie. Weave the remaining strips over and under. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375º
- Whisk the egg and 1 tablespoon of water together and brush over the top of the pie. Sprinkle with Demerara sugar and place on a flat baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour and check to see if the apples are soft and the crust is golden brown. If not, continue cooking. You may need to use a pie shield at about 45 minutes to prevent it from getting too brown.
Notes
- The calories are higher than the actual calories as it includes 2 cups of caramel and you only need 1/2 a cup.
- Make sure the caramel is cooled before adding to the pie.
- You can use other types of apples, if so, check on it more often as the cooking time could vary.
